Toulon and Montpellier are among the Top 14 clubs exploring the possibility of taking Munster outside centre Antoine Frisch back to France despite him having another year left on his contract.
Sale Sharks have signed Fiji captain Waisea Nayacalevu ahead of next season, adding to speculation that Manu Tuilagi may be leaving the club.
Gloucester broke their miserable run of nine consecutive Premiership defeats with a morale-boosting win over Sale at Kingsholm.
Sale boss Alex Sanderson was left to rue missed opportunities and called for more ruthlessness after seeing his side knocked out of the Investec Champions Cup following an impressive display by holders La Rochelle.
Sale dropped into the Challenge Cup after being brushed aside by La Rochelle as the French giants kept alive their bid for hat-trick of Investec Champions Cup titles.
After sustaining a hamstring injury in their round one victory over Leicester Tigers in October, fly-half AJ MacGinty will make his return when Bristol Bears face Sale Sharks on Friday night.
Their determined effort got them 13-3 ahead midway through the opening half before a loaded Leinster finally strutted their stuff in front of a sell-out crowd following last weekend’s deserved smash-and-grab success at La Rochelle.
The Irish province took over pole position in the group with a hard-fought 37-27 win over Sale in Dublin.
Stade Francais have included All Blacks scrum-half Brad Weber in its nine-strong list of new signings for the 2023/24 Top 14 season.
Stade Francais have confirmed the names of 13 players leaving their squad now that their 2022/23 Top 14 season has ended.